“Sure. I’ll drive.”
“No way in hell am I getting in a car with you,fratello,” I say without hesitation.
Raffaele drives like a madman with nine lives. Every experience with him at the wheel of a car has been worse than the last.
“Can I join too?” Elio speaks up.
“Wouldn’t want to offend your delicate sensibilities, little brother,” Raffaele replies.
Our youngest brother opens his mouth, probably to argue but he doesn’t get a chance to.
“Elio, stay. I need you to do something for me,” Salvatore states.
He frowns, obviously unhappy about being left out but he nods anyway. Raffaele and I make our way out of the house. Soon enough we arrive, heading down to his torture dungeon.
It’s late when I arrive home. Past Leo’s bedtime, but I head up to his room regardless, if not for anything but to see him tucked in and hopefully asleep.
He’s not. I find him in the room adjacent to his bedroom. His playroom. The door is wide open, and he’s laughing hard as two cars race on the flat-screen TV. My heart stutters for a second when I catch sight of Lindsay’s blonde hair. They’re both turnedaway from me, their concentration fixed on the video game they’re playing.
I watch as the red car zooms past the yellow one, reaching the finishing line first. Leo lets out a shout of triumph.
“Beat you again. Take that!” he exclaims.
Lindsay lets out a sigh, flopping backward on the couch. “I hate video games.”
“No, you’re just a sore loser.”
“And you are a little boy who’s up way past his bedtime,” she retorts.
It’s impossible not to hear the smile in her voice. It makes my heart clench. And I’m glad for it at the same time. I’m not sure when they bonded but I’m not surprised. I can’t imagine a better person for my son to get to know.
I just don’t know how permanent Lindsay is. I don’t know if she’s here to stay or just passing by, and I hate that it fucking matters either way.
Lindsay laughs and the sound has my cock throbbing in my slacks. Even the sound of her laughter gets me hard, it’s pathetic.
They must sense my presence, though, because Leo suddenly looks behind him and lets out a grin at the sight of me.
“Hey, Daddy,” he greets.
Lindsay, on the other hand, takes her sweet time turning around. When our gazes connect, my throat dries. We stare at each other for a long moment, things left unsaid floating between us. So many things pass across her expression, I wouldn’t know where to start dissecting them.
Eventually, she looks away, clearing her throat.
“That’s my cue to leave,” she states, getting to her feet. “I’m sure your dad will tuck you in for bed. I’ll see you tomorrow, Leonardo.”
“Good night,” he tells her.
She ruffles his hair before heading for the exit of the room, which I’m currently still blocking. When she stands in front of me, I have to fight demons not to reach forward and touch her. Every inch of me comes alive in her presence.
She waits patiently until I move, shifting from the doorway. It’s impossible to miss the way she stiffens as she passes by my side. Her sharp inhale and then her quick steps down the hallway.
Leo climbs out of the couch as well, moving to stand in front of me.
“How was your day, buddy?” I ask him.
“Good!” He launches into a rundown I’m happy to listen to. I lead him to his room as he speaks, picking out his PJs for bed.
“Lin and I had so much fun. We ate chocolate chip pancakes, and then we had ice cream. She met all my pets, and then we played hide and seek. It took her ages before she found me, Dad.” He laughs. “And then we had quiet time. She made me read a book and she was on her computer for a long time. But then she read it to me. It was a nice story. I liked it. And then we ate dinner, and then I said, ‘Do you want to play videos games?’ and she said yes, so we played. But she isn’t good at video games, Daddy. I always win.”
